New Utoya

Our office worked at the re-establishing of a political camp on the island of Utøya, the location of the massacre where 69 young people were killed on July 22nd 2011. The traditions and identity of the island of Utøya is about commitment, solidarity, diversity and democracy. Our ambition has been to reflect and reinforce these values, both through form and function. We have done this by establishing a small village with streets, bellfry and a town square on the very top of the island. The village consists of many small units that together ad up to a bigger community: a symbol of unity and diversity. Central in the village, close to its public square, a belfry makes the village visible from a distance and marks the central square on the island. The traditional metal bell with is replaced with one made out of wood, referencing to the central European tradition, where wooden bells replaced cast metal church bells, before the Easter celebrations, in respect for – and in memory of their lost ones. By establishing village on the hillside behind the famous white farm house, the island’s iconic silhouette is renewed, signalling clearly that the island has been taken back.